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Our four-day photographic workshop in the Elan Valley provides ample opportunity to learn new techniques and capture rewarding images during wildlife and night sky photography sessions.

For the wildlife photography sessions, we will focus on two particular subjects; red kites and bottlenose dolphin. For the red kites, we will head to the centre at Gigrin Farm where there is a low-level hide and towers specially designed for photographing these majestic birds of prey. At Gigrin, we hope to capture some excellent images of the bird behaviour and the birds in flight.

Alternatively, for the bottlenose dolphin, we have exclusively chartered a private boat for a half-day of our itinerary allowing us to maximise time out on the water to photograph the dolphin, but also some flexibility to allow for any inclement weather. Whilst out on board our exclusive vessel, we will be focusing on photographing bottlenose dolphins. However, we may also encounter other species such as porpoise, Atlantic grey seal, guillemot and razorbill.

The evenings of our itinerary will be dedicated to night sky photography in the Elan Valley and this is arguably the best location in the UK for this kind of photography. The valley is a designated 'International Dark Sky Park' which means it is perfect for night sky photography and we have timed our groups to coincide with the new moon meaning that the stars will be even more spectacular.  With our leader on hand to teach us the best techniques and processes for capturing the night sky and if the weather allows, we hope to take some truly wonderful photos!

Our leader throughout the itinerary will be Sean Weekly who is a wildlife photographer and a night sky photography expert. He will be on hand to provide photographic tuition and answer any questions during the photography sessions as well as during any down time that we may have. Sean lives locally to the Elan Valley so has plenty of experience when it to comes to photographing the wildlife, landscapes and night sky of this area of Wales.

We also offer a 1-day private workshop to Gigrin Farm with Sean Weekly to photograph red kites.

Typical Itinerary

  1. Day 1: Arrive Elan Valley & first night sky photography session

    On arrival at our accommodation in the Elan Valley in the afternoon, we will have a welcome briefing outlining what we plan to do over the next few days in this stunning Mid Wales region.

    After dinner we will head just down the road to the beautiful and well-known Elan Valley. The valleys and Victorian dams are a spectacular mixture of man-made architecture and natural beauty, located in one of the few places in the United Kingdom where it is still possible to roam in a wild landscape all day in almost virtual solitude.

    This evening, depending on the weather, we will aim to stay out until dark when the beauty of the night sky begins to appear. Our aim for the next couple of nights if it’s clear, is to spend it photographing the dark skies in the valley, including our very own milky way galaxy which can be seen exceptionally clearly on a moonless night.

    Accommodation: Elan Valley Hotel, 3-nights

  2. Day 2: Photography session at the Gigrin Red Kite Centre

    We have a relaxed morning to start the day following our late night the previous evening. We will have time for breakfast and there will be an opportunity for some landscape photography with Sean if we wish to. Later in the day, we head to the Red Kite Centre at Gigrin Farm in heart of Mid Wales with exceptional views over the Wye and Elan Valleys.

    Our focus today will be photographing the red kites in two groups; one from a low-level hide and the other from a tower hide.

    From the tower hide we will be concentrating on bird inflight imagery against the surrounding skies and scenic backdrop. The other group will be in the low-level ground hide which has been newly built by Sean Weekly himself. Here we will be concentrating hopefully on portrait images of the kites and buzzards feeding on the ground, and low-level inflight photos as the kites come in low to grab the food.

    We return to our hotel in the late afternoon in time for dinner. Depending on the weather and the success of the previous evening, we may head out again in the evening for another session of night sky photography.

  3. Day 3: Dolphin photography boat trip & night sky photography session

    After breakfast, we drive for approximately two hours to the stunning coastline of Ceredigion and the fishing town of New Quay to board our private boat charter to observe and photograph the local bottlenose dolphins who call Cardigan Bay their home.

    Once we arrive in New Quay, we will be met by our boat team to start our exclusive half-day charter out on the water giving us the best possible chance of some rewarding encounters with bottlenose dolphins. Departing from the harbour at New Quay we navigate further south along the rugged coastline where we will observe and potentially photograph various seabirds that nest on the cliffs, such as razorbills and guillemots. Whilst our focus will be photographing the bottlenose dolphins, there may be opportunities to capture images of other marine mammals including Atlantic grey seals and harbour porpoise.

    We return to shore at New Quay and transfer back to our accommodation at the Elan Valley in time for an early dinner.

    Depending on the weather conditions, we head out for some landscape photography and another evening of night sky photography in the Elan Valley with Sean on hand to provide tuition once again. We aim to add more photos to our growing portfolios of night sky imagery before returning to our hotel to rest up after a memorable evening of photography.

  4. Day 4: Return to Gigrin & departure

    The trip will conclude at Gigrin Farm at around 5 pm, bringing to a close a fabulous few days of photography. 

Key info

  • Duration and price excluding international flights: 4 days from £1,295 pp
  • Single supplement: From £275
  • Trip type:
    Group Tour
  • Group size: 6
  • Group Departures:
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  • Included in the price/package:
    • 3-night hotel in Elan Valley
    • Most meals
    • Transfers
    • Excursions & sessions as described
    • Photographic tuition from Sean Weekly
    • Donation to Gigrin Red Kite Centre
  • Activities available:
    • Boat trip
    • Photography

Expert leader

Sean Weekly

Photo of Sean Weekly

Multi award-winner and full time photographer, Sean's work is regularly featured across a range of national and international publications.

After a career as a Royal Marine, Sean moved to the diverse habitats of Singapore where long-tailed macaques, snakes, lizards and tropical birds were just a stones throw away from his home.

Travelling through South East Asia and Australia with his camera was what ignited his love of the natural world and now he ventures across the globe to expand his wildlife photography. Sean has led numerous workshops in the UK and further afield in Europe at locations including Skomer, Greece, Finland, Spain and Scotland.

View all tours led by Sean

Tour Reports

Find out more about the day-to-day sightings and wildlife activities on our group tours from our expert naturalist leaders.

Featured location:

Elan Valley

Situated to the west of Rhayader, the Elan Valley is one of the most remote locations in the British Isles. Sometimes referred to as the 'Welsh Lake District', the valley is renowned for its lakes, rugged mountains, stunning night skies and pristine habitat which is home to a variety of wildlife. Find Out More about {acc:title}

  • Where: Mid Wales
  • Ideal for viewing: whinchat, curlew, red kite, red fox, wheatear
  • Excellent for: Wildlife photography, Birdwatching